Daily Record Golf Challenge: Round 5 pairings look to be even

By MIKE PLANTSports WriterPublished: July 17, 2014 4:00AM

The Daily Record Golf Challenge returns to Wayne County for the first time in more than a month, as this Friday's Round 5 will take place at Riceland Golf Course, the venerable layout near Orrville that first opened for business in 1922. That makes it the oldest privately owned public course east of the Mississippi.

Although we all know anything can happen when the golfers tee it up and let it fly, Friday's foursome, on paper at least, is evenly matched.

All four golfers' handicaps are between the 18 carried by Gabe Speelman and the 22 of Tom Ogden, as Aaron McConahay is a 20 and Randy Wharton a 21.

Ogden, the oldest golfer ever to participate in The Challenge at age 78, played in a qualifying event at Riceland four year ago, losing on the second playoff hole.

Retired from the City of Wooster since 1992, he also plays the most golf of Friday's contestants. Every Tuesday, Ogden and seven of his friends travel all around Northeast Ohio to get in a round -- "When we're all healthy there's eight of us," he said -- and he's a member of the Friday morning Senior League that plays at The College of Wooster's L.C. Boles Golf Course.

Ogden's golfing days go way back to when the old Hillcrest course was open just east of Wooster, so he's played all of the area courses many times, including Riceland.

"It's easier than a lot of courses, I guarantee you, but there are some places you have to watch out for," he said. "You really have to keep your ball out of the bunkers there, some of them are in some pretty tough spots."

McConahay, a 41-year-old from Wooster employed as a sous chef at Ashland University, will try to cook up his first win in his third Challenge appearance. He plays a handful of times each summer, including his most recent outing a few weeks ago at The Pines.

"I'm looking forward to Friday, because the last time I played, with my uncle, he gave me a few pointers and they seemed to help," McConahay said.

"Riceland's a nice course," he added, "but what I remember most is the trees. When I played there, I was tree-trimming most of the day."

Wharton, also of Wooster, is a 45-year-old employed at the J.M. Smucker Co. Wharton lives near The College of Wooster, so his regular course is L.C. Boles, but his lone Challenge appearance was at Riceland.

"On the first hole, I took an eight, and I thought to myself 'This is gonna be a long day,'" he said. "At the turn, though, I had a one-stroke lead, then fell apart on the back. I hope I won't be as nervous this time.

"I think the front plays a little easier than the back -- No. 11, that dog-leg left, gives me trouble for some reason," Wharton added. "But it sure is a nice course. It's not as challenging as some others, but it's fun to go out there. I'm just going to try and take my time, not get in a hurry, and play my game. Hopefully, it's a good day."

Making his Challenge debut will be Speelman, 33, a purchasing agent at Weaver Leather who resides in Apple Creek.

"Riceland's a fair course," Speelman said. "It's not that difficult, but I enjoy it."

Speelman said the strongest part of his game is his short game, but that his chipping hasn't been too good lately.

"I'm just going to go out Friday and try to have fun and enjoy the experience," he said.

That, to Ogden, will be his main advantage Friday, despite giving up more than 30 years to his fellow competitors.

"They're younger, but I've got the experience going for me," Ogden said with a laugh.

Following Friday's round, there will be one more weekly qualifier on July 25 at The Pines. The next week, the six weekly winners, last year's champion Don Smith and an at-large contestant, chosen from Challenge entrants not selected for one of the qualifying rounds, will tee it up at Wooster Country Club to determine the overall champion of The DR Golf Challenge, now in its 13th year.